As the country embarks on a tree planting exercise nationwide today, Friday, June 11, 2021, the Member of Parliament for Builsa South Dr. Clement Apaak, has called for aggressive protection of already existing trees.
The legislator who is making his 51st birthday today, June 11, 2021, said it is good that we are embarking on an exercise to plant 5 million trees but the most important thing is to protect the existing ones we already have.
In a message, the MP said: ”Infact, I made this point on the floor. That we are destroying and or have allowed trees that have taken ages to grow to be destroyed by a few selfish and greedy persons with the support of officialdom to our collective detriment, it’s a shame.
Yes, we can plant trees, but just think of how long it will take for these trees to mature to the ages of those we are destroying, even today.
It’s not just about planting, are we committed and disciplined enough to nurture and protect the trees we are planting today, given our record?”
Dr. Clement has over the years championed an end to the illegal rosewood trade.
He had in 2019 led a campaign for a probe into the illegal activities after an undercover report by a US-based firm into the felling and export of rosewood from Ghana.
The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), report titled ‘Bamboozled: How corruption and collusion fuel illegal rosewood trade in Ghana,’ was released on July 30, 2019.
The report among other things said despite a ban on the felling and export of rosewood, “powerful Chinese and Ghanaian traffickers are still harvesting and shipping rosewood out of the country.”
It also alleged that the traffickers “have established an institutionalised scheme, fueled by bribes, to mask the illegal harvest, transport, export, and illegal licensing of the timber.”
Dr. Apaak at the time described the activities of these individuals as wicked and criminal.
He said the wicked minds engaged in the illegal felling and export of rosewood are threatening the very survival of his people in the Builsa South and the entire Savannah Region.
Under the Green Ghana initiative, which will take place today, June 11, 2021, a total of five million trees are expected to be planted in a single day across Ghana.
It forms part of an effort to encourage Ghanaians to plant more trees to preserve and protect Ghana’s forest cover and the environment.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com
